Russian President Vladimir Putin has strongly supported India's strategic independence and said that any attempt to pressure the country through sanctions would fail under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday, Putin said India has always made decisions based on its own national interests and would continue to do so despite any external pressure over its relationship with Russia.

During the discussion, Putin underlined India's position as a sovereign nation and stressed that no country should be forced to choose its defence or economic partners. He said India has consistently followed an independent path in global affairs and has never allowed outside pressure to influence its key decisions.

"India always acts as a sovereign country, and under the leadership of PM Modi, any potential threats of sanctions would boomerang immediately," Putin stated.

The Russian President highlighted that India has always taken decisions that serve its own interests. According to him, this approach has remained unchanged and will continue in the future regardless of criticism or pressure from other countries.

Emphasising India's strategic autonomy, he added, "India is a sovereign country, and it is free to choose those products that they choose those products that they consider to be most up-to-date and most applicable for them. No matter what people say, India has always been acting in this manner."

Putin's remarks came amid discussions on the possibility of sanctions pressure from the United States if India decides to purchase advanced Russian defence equipment. These include platforms such as the Su-57 stealth fighter jet and the S-500 air defence system. Addressing the issue, Putin said India has always pursued an independent foreign policy and makes decisions based on its own requirements rather than external influence.

Reiterating his point, he said, "India is a sovereign country, and it is free to choose those products that they consider to be most up-to-date and most applicable for them."

Putin noted that India's defence procurement decisions are guided by operational needs, performance and value. He indicated that political pressure from other countries would not determine New Delhi's choices. According to him, India has a long record of making decisions that best suit its national security interests.

The Russian President also stressed that defence cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi remains stable and is not affected by changing political circumstances. He said Russia's partnerships are based on commitments and mutual trust rather than temporary geopolitical developments.

"Our cooperation with India, just like with all other partners of ours, is not subject to the political environment," Putin said.

He further stated that no outside country could instruct Russia on whom it should or should not supply defence equipment to. Putin made it clear that Moscow would continue honouring agreements with India and would not allow external pressure to affect bilateral cooperation.

"We can't be dictated, 'Do not deliver that to India.' Nobody can dictate us."

The Russian leader also reaffirmed Moscow's commitment to its agreements with New Delhi. He said Russia values its partnership with India and would continue to fulfil promises made to the country.

"We will always stand true to commitments given to our partners, especially countries such as India," Putin said.

Speaking about the Su-57 fighter aircraft, Putin revealed that Russia had earlier proposed a joint development programme with India. However, the project did not move forward as planned. Following that, Russia continued the development independently and successfully completed the aircraft.

Despite the earlier proposal not materialising, Putin said Russia remains open to supplying the fighter jet to India. He described the aircraft as one of the most advanced combat platforms currently available.

"Su-57 is a very good aircraft, probably the most modern one, the most up-to-date in the world as of now," Putin said. "We offered that we should do that together. Well, it didn't work out, but we did it on our own, and we stand ready to sell Su-57."

Putin's remarks reflect Russia's continued support for India's independent decision-making in defence and foreign policy matters. His statements also signal Moscow's willingness to deepen defence cooperation with New Delhi despite growing geopolitical tensions and the possibility of sanctions-related pressure from Western countries.

The comments come at a time when India's defence choices continue to attract international attention. However, Putin maintained that India has always acted as a sovereign nation and will continue to make decisions based on what it considers best for its security and national interests.